Year-ender

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? -- take a plane ride by myself, work in a multicultural environment, get paid for overtime, played final fantasy x on the PS2, beat my boyfriend at tekken, fedex a birthday present, graduate from college, have my own room, break a customs rule, save a considerable amount of money, be very angry with someone close to me for a long time, maintain a long-distance relationship, live with someone for three weeks, wake up to a city view, become friends with my ex, get a foot spa.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? -- i don't remember most of them, but i think i did. will make more.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? -- no. well... does our dog vita count? oh yeah, aui gave birth to ela this year... i think.

4. Did anyone close to you die? -- no, thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit? -- singapore, thailand, indonesia

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? a regular form of exercise, more time off from work, more travel, more time with my boyfriend, storage space for my room and a new mattress

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? -- june 11, my first year anniversary with marlon, which we spent together in singapore; july 1, my first day at global sources.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? -- graduating from college with honors, getting a job, nurturing my relationship with marlon

9. What was your biggest failure? -- hayy. dropping voice lessons with leslie, sitting on my goals for the most part of the year. oh and something called the south beach diet. hehe.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? -- yes. i was always sick for most of my first few months at global sources.

11. What was the best thing you bought? -- hmmm that's tough, since a lot of the stuff i really liked was bought for me by marlon. can't name any one thing, so here goes: funky logo tees at landmark, my blue lisa loeb-ish glasses, miles davis' kind of blue, the art of travel

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? -- my sister's, eena's, my boyfriend's

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? -- won't name names, but someone very close to me. oh and the usual local politicians. gma is turning out to be a horrid disappointment.

14. Where did most of your money go? -- transpo and food

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? -- going to bangkok, the acs' october concert, marlon's visits home

16. What song will always remind you of 2004? -- alicia keys' "if i ain't got you", songs from american idol season 3 especially "i believe" and "chain of fools". go fantasia!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier. definitely.
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner, thank heavens.
iii. richer or poorer? richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? -- sleep early, take better care of my belongings, exercise, work towards my long-term goals

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? -- eat unhealthy, fattening food, impulse shopping

20. How will you be spending Christmas? -- i spent it being mushy with my boyfriend, pigging out and ignoring the whoosh of impending deadlines

21. Did you fall in love in 2004? -- technically no, but i did keep falling in love over and over with one guy. (i'm mushy, shoot me.)

22. How many one-night stands? -- none, some stolen weekends though ;-)

23. What was your favorite TV program? -- ugh. for a very brief time: iron chef, jamie's kitchen (hmm i sense a pattern here), american idol (towards the finals), whose line is it anyway?

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? -- not hate. more like disappointed in/struggling with.

25. What was the best book you read? -- philip pullman's his dark materials trilogy. thanks jeline! oh and the art of travel. thanks doc garcia!

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? -- jazz, particularly miles davis' kind of blue. also mingus big band, ladysmith black mambazo, yo-yo ma and cecilia bartoli.

27. What did you want and got? -- a job, a feeling of working towards my goals, savings, new shoes (lots of them!!!), marlon home for christmas, a tagaytay trip with marlon

28. What was your favorite film of this year? -- kill bill vol. 2, the return of the king, the incredibles, wimbledon

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? -- lookie here

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? -- getting to go to the beach more, getting to watch alicia keys life, not going off the south beach diet.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? -- comfort with a twist, lots of accessories

32. What kept you sane? -- music, sleep, chocolate, books, feelings of accomplishment, my boyfriend

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? -- christian bale and jude law. fancied as in admired but not lusted after: anna netrebko.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? -- the US elections, Bush's bumbling in Iraq, the General Garcia case, pork barrel and the fiscal crisis

35. Who did you miss? -- aside from my boyfriend? maggie! was also really sad that i didn't get to see sir joel in the states.

36. Who was the best new person you met? -- surajit, darius and the EBU lunchtime group, new acs members like stalee, bong, alfred and liz

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: -- get started.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: -- "The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all/And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall/It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad" from thank you by dido. hmmm, there should be something better than this, but can't think of it at the moment.